How to Lose Belly Fat

Excess belly fat is a common problem for both men and women. Unfortunately, it isn’t a problem that gets easier to manage as we get older. Indeed, after the age of 30 we start to lose muscle and, because we move less, gain fat. Thus, it becomes increasingly harder to lose belly fat.

Simply follow the guide below. For more tips, see the infographic on how to lose belly fat.

1. Causes of Belly Fat

While constant overeating, i.e. consuming more calories that you burn, will lead to increases in body fat generally, and belly fat specifically, there are other reasons that can cause a big belly. Factors that can influence belly fat include gender, genetics, hormones, body shape, lifestyle and certain foods. An effective plan to lose belly fat must addresses the causes for why you are carrying more belly fat than you would like. Read more about causes of belly fat.

2. The best exercises to lose belly fat

Exercises targeting the belly are not enough to help you lose belly fat. You cannot target fat loss; you cannot lose fat from one specific area by thinking about it. It’s like saying you don’t want to drive to where you’re going you want to teleport there. It’s not going to happen. Sit-ups, crunches and core work are not going to miraculously blast belly fat. If it did, a lot less people, would have a belly. Exercises like crunches do not target belly fat, they target belly muscle (i.e. abs). They will make your muscles bigger, but that helps little if they are hiding beneath a layer of fat. However, once you’ve lost the belly fat, those exercises will pay off. But, the first step is to lose belly fat.

Cardiovascular exercise will help you create a greater calorie deficit and increase metabolism helping you lose belly fat. Research suggests that interval training is one of the most effective methods of burning belly fat. Click hereto read more about exercise to burn belly fat. Read more about the best exercises to lose belly fat.

3. Foods that can help you lose belly fat

Belly fat is stored energy. Accordingly, to lose belly fat you have to lose energy or, to put it more simply, you have to burn more calories (energy) than you eat. There is no way round it, try anything else and you’ll join the ranks of those who every year tries out the newest, craziest diet that promises everything and yield nothing. To lose belly fat you need to stick to a calorie controlled diet. However, there is much more you can do than simply reducing your calorie intake to lose belly fat.

There are certain foods that will help you lose belly fat, while other foods will actually increase belly fat. Foods that help burn belly fat are low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat, such as olive oil, walnuts, and flax seeds. However, avoid refined grains, which increase belly fat, and choose whole grains instead. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, preferably organic is ideal. Indeed, research shows that Mediterranean style dietis the best diet in aiding the loss of belly fat. Read more about foods that can help you lose belly fat.

4. Ab Exercises with video 

Belly exercises to strengthen abdominal muscles for a toned, flat and defined tummy. This will help fight belly fat and also stops the muscle loss that occurs during weight loss. The first step to six pack abs or a toned tummy is losing belly fat. Therefore, your first area of effort must be on fat loss. However, to get the abs you’re after, once you’ve reduced your body fat percentage you then need to focus on MUSCLE. Building muscle. Go here fore 200 ab Exercises with video.

5. Weight Loss to Suit Your Body Type

To lose belly fat as quickly as possible, to set the right targets, and to choose the right exercises and diet to lose belly fat fast you need to customize your weight loss program to suit your individual needs. Therefore, determine you body type to find out how easily you’ll lose belly fat, and how easy you’ll find it to build muscle. Having an understanding of your body type, will help you determine the best macronutrient ratio to help you lose belly fat. For example, some endomorphs lose weight more easily on low-carb diets, while others do better with high-carb.

Find out your body type. If you are a mesomorph you will be able to boast amazing ab definition. If you are an ectomorph, you should be relatively light, as you have a light frame and are lightly muscled. Ectomorphs should be able to lose belly fat relatively easily, but will have to put a lot of effort in gaining muscle mass and ab definition. Endomorphs will struggle the most to lose belly fat, and will have to work hard to achieve defined abs. Use the body type calculator to determine your body type.

6. Customize Weight Loss

Use the:

• Body fat calculator to determine you body fat percentage and keep track of your weight loss. If your body fat percentage is high, then you may have higher levels of belly fat and it worth talking it through with your doctor. Ideally you should get you body fat percentage measured professionally, e.g. at a fitness center/ gym or during a health check-up. Some universities also offer body fat analysis.
• Exercise calculator to determine how many calories you’re burning during exercise
• Calorie calculator to find out your calorie requirements to lose weight.

Click to see references

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